Birds analysis

.
             When Nat got home from the farm, his wife informed him that there was an announcement on the radio that the extreme cold and hunger of the birds were the principal reasons for the birds" bizarre behaviour. Nat is triumphant that other people apart from himself had noticed the change; he now knew that he was not on his own. .
             The government on the radio bulletin had thought that it "knew all" and it gave natural explanations for why the birds were behaving like they were. Du Maurier is very clever in showing human complacency. Everything that she is thinking she does not say it, instead she shows us it and gives us evidence. By doing this she is making the whole story all the more convincing. Du Maurier uses the government to highlight the ignorance of humans. They think that they are superior and whatever nature does, it does not matter. Any problem that ever occurs, humans think will be resolved by someone else who is more intelligent. The response of the Triggs to the Nat's children being attacked is the same as the governments, except that the scale is larger. Nat is the only one that realizes that humans are stupid. They feel that they are complacent and whatever goes on in the world does not really matter as somebody else will come up with a solution. He knows that if the birds keep on attacking people on the streets, in their own homes etc. supplies will be finished and so will civilization. He listens to the announcements on the radio and takes on board all the advice given. He checks all the food supplies in the house but there is not much because shopping day was tomorrow. However they had enough flour for another loaf of bread.
             When Nat went outside he saw that thousands of gulls had risen and were trying their strength against the wind. Nat realized that they were getting stronger, all the time that they were rising and circling. He knew that they were preparing for attacking and felt that someone should know what was happening.